"Raymond E. Feist - Kingdom of the Isles 1 - Prince of the Blood" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feist Raymond E)

Borric glanced down. "Why, it's . . ." He turned to
his brother. "What is it?"

Eriand slowly walked around Nicky. "I'm not sure.
It's too small to be a goblin, yet too big to be a monkey—
save perhaps a very tall monkey."

"Not broad enough in the shoulders to be a dwarf,
and too finely tailored to be a beggar boy—"

Nicky's face clouded over. Tears began to form in his
eyes. "You promised!" he said, his voice catching in his
throat. He looked up at his brothers as they stood grin-
ning down at him, then with tears upon his cheeks he
kicked Borric in the shins, turned, and fled, his half-
limping, rolling gate not slowing him as he scampered
down the hall, the sound of his sobs following after.
Borric rubbed at the barked shin. "Ow. The boy can
kick." He looked at Eriand. "Promised?"

Eriand rolled his eyes heavenward. "Not to tease him
anymore." He heaved a sigh. "Another round of lec-
tures. He's sure to run to Mother and she'll speak to
Father and ..."

Borric winced. "And we'll get another round of lec-
tures."

Then as one they said, "Father!" and hurried toward
Arutha's private quarters. The guard stationed at the
door, seeing the approaching brothers, opened the
doors for them.

Once inside, the twins found their father seated in his
favorite chair, an old thing of wood and leather, but
which he preferred to any of the dozen others in the
large conference hall. Standing slightly to his left were
Barons James and Locklear. Arutha said, "Come in, you
two."

The twins came to stand before their father, Eriand
moving with a slight awkwardness, as his injured side

16 Prince of the Blood

had stiffened overnight. "Something wrong?" asked
Arutha.

Both sons smiled weakly. Their father missed little
Borric said, "He tried a beat and counterlunge when he